As she moved through the gym, where a restless energy hung in the air, Elis found herself deeply shaken. Dragon King Magnawell would be arriving at any moment. Among the Six Kings, Magnawell maintained a particularly strong connection with the Arclesia Empire. To Elis, a noble of said empire, he was a figure of absolute authority toward whom the slightest disrespect was unthinkable.
If it were possible, she would have preferred to flee before his arrival. However, knowing that the Dragon King was on his way, leaving without offering a greeting would be a total act of lèse-majesté—an option that wasn't even on the table. Conversely, simply remaining there didn't mean she could just approach him; as a mere noble, she was hardly in a position to initiate a conversation with him, let alone offer a formal greeting.
…Yes, if only… the World's Singularity were not present here…
(If I had encountered him alone, the Dragon King-sama would have simply passed me by as I offered a silent bow, and that would have been the end of it. But with Kaito-sama here, the situation changes completely. I have to assume a greeting will take place. He is someone with whom even the slightest social blunder could be catastrophic… Ugh, m-my stomach…)
Nursing the growing pain in her gut, Elis approached the gym entrance, where Kaito had been waiting. He noticed her and offered a gentle smile.
"I’m sorry for keeping you waiting."
"No, please don't worry about it. I only just arrived myself… Ah, also, I heard from Namyl-san that Magnawell-san is coming by for an inspection. What do you want to do? We don't have a formal appointment, so would you rather just head home?"
They were words born of his characteristic consideration. Kaito assumed Elis would be intimidated by a meeting with Magnawell and proposed leaving to spare her the stress. It was undoubtedly a suggestion made with the best of intentions.
The only problem was… Kaito was the only person in the world allowed to know the Dragon King was coming and decide to just leave.
(You’re the only one who can get away with that, Kaito-sama! If I did that, every single noble in the Arclesia Empire would condemn me!)
Magnawell’s deep ties to the Arclesia Empire made him a person of supreme importance, much like Lilliwood was to the Kingdom of Sinfonia.
"No, it would be rude to leave while knowing the Dragon King-sama is arriving. If it doesn't interfere with your schedule, Kaito-sama, let us wait for him."
"That’s true. Then let's offer him a brief greeting and then head out."
Elis had halfway resigned herself to the inevitable the moment she realized Magnawell was coming, yet she still clutched at a small measure of hope.
She figured she would be introduced as Kaito’s acquaintance, and that would be the extent of it. Since she had no personal business with him, there was no reason for them to have an actual conversation.
Elis had heard what happened with Cornelia, but that was strictly because of the specialized brushes. Magnawell was known for behaving in a manner befitting a true king, and she couldn't imagine a situation where he would bother with a lengthy exchange or show personal interest in a noble like her.
At most, she expected to be permitted a brief, formal salutation under the umbrella of Kaito’s influence, and then it would be over.
Shortly thereafter, Magnawell arrived. Namyl and the other members of the Dragon King's Subordinates bowed their heads low in a synchronized greeting.
"Very well, ease your posture. Nizbel recommended I take a look at this new facility, so I have simply come for a visit. I have no intention of meddling, nor do I intend to make a ruling on your conduct here today."
After addressing his subordinates with a reassurance that he was only there as a spectator, Magnawell walked over to Kaito.
"Hello, Magnawell-san."
"Mm, you look to be in good health, Miyama Kaito. I heard from Nizbel that you were here to trial the equipment. How was the experience?"
"It was great. It had elements similar to the gyms I’m familiar with, but there were also several unique innovations tailored to this world. I’ve been feeling a bit out of shape lately, so I think I’ll start coming here once it officially opens."
"Hahaha, that is good to hear. Regardless of one's goals, the body is one’s greatest capital. There is never any harm in tempering it… Hmm."
After chatting pleasantly with Kaito, Magnawell’s gaze shifted to Elis. According to Elis’s plan, she would be introduced, give a quick bow, and then fade into the background… but she had made a major miscalculation.
Cornelia had indeed been a chance encounter. To Magnawell, she was simply the daughter of a noble who happened to be an acquaintance of Kaito. Without Kaito’s specific introduction regarding the brushes, he likely wouldn't have given her a second thought.
However, the premise was fundamentally different for Elis. Unlike Cornelia, Elis had participated in Kaito's Birthday Party. Not only had she been there, but she had achieved notable success—reaching the finals of the first game tournament and scoring well on the quiz. Even if luck had played a role, she had stood out.
"…I recognize that face. If I recall, you are the Arclesia Empire Noble who is quite close with Miyama Kaito…"
"!?!"
Magnawell recognized her. In his mind, she was the noblewoman who was particularly close to Kaito, someone he had observed during the festivities. As such, she was a person worthy of his interest.
It stood to reason. Kaito’s circle of noble acquaintances had expanded significantly after the party, but at the time of the event, Elis had been the only Arclesia Empire Noble—aside from Empress Chris—with whom Kaito was close. It was inevitable that Magnawell, given his ties to the empire, would take note of her.
"…Hmm. I permit you to offer a self-introduction including the family name."
The result of her prior success was that instead of being introduced by Kaito, Magnawell had taken a personal interest in her. By granting her permission to state her full name, he was establishing that they would engage in a proper conversation and that he intended to acknowledge her as an acquaintance for future interactions.
It was an unexpected and staggering level of evaluation. Though she maintained a stoic mask, Elis’s stomach was practically screaming in agony.
Serious-senpai: "Ah, right. Now that I think about it, Elis was a standout performer at the birthday party. To Kaito’s inner circle, she’s become someone they want to talk to at least once, much like Lilia at the Shipboard Party… To think that being talented and achieving great results would lead directly to more stomach pain… even with these Eyes of Seriousness, I couldn't have predicted this turn of events…"